Rob’s journey into lighting design began after completing an MFA in Interior Environments at Virginia Commonwealth University. Shortly after graduating, he taught an introductory lighting class to design students, which gave him the opportunity to further study the impacts of lighting on interior environments. Rob also served as a member of the City of Richmond’s Urban Design Committee, where he gained valuable knowledge of lighting in exterior environments and helped update the City’s lighting guidelines for exterior LED lighting.

Rob’s interest in lighting’s connection to the human experience grew through teaching and attending professional lighting design conferences and workshops, including the Lighting Design Intensive Workshop at Parsons The New School. This experience solidified his decision to fully pursue lighting design.

In 2018, Rob transitioned from academia to lighting design practice, working with Gilmore Lighting Design in Bethesda, Maryland, and then Hartranft Lighting Studios in 2023. Rob has experience in various types of lighting design projects, including residential, corporate interiors, parking garages, multi-family housing, and exterior site and landscaping.